There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 285: [Bonus - ] The Star And The Flower (2)

Chapter 285: [Bonus Chapter] The Star And The Flower (2)

"Didn’t I tell you we can’t do this on the campus grounds?"

Radia licked his lips, didn’t even stop his movement as he put on some argument. "But—ah...you’ve been away for so long, I just can’t—ugh—help it,"

Han Joon let out a low laugh that never failed to make Radia’s heart jolt. Just that simple sound, and the look in those black eyes that were getting filled with passion, already sent an electrifying sensation all over his body.

This was crazy. He had never felt like this before with his other countless past partners.

"Fine, let’s do this fast then,"

Radia gasped when the world turned and he was now lying flat on the table, looking up at the handsome face and deep black eyes he’d been missing so much. And then he lost the ability to think again for the next ten minutes, until he was no more than a putty, moaning slut.

"I hate practical season," he grumbled on Joon’s shoulder, leaning completely on the much bigger boy.

They were almost in their last year, and Joon would be qualified for a tower trial in a few months. The man had been swamped with practical lessons and dungeon trial runs that the last time Radia could see him was last month.

For someone who had just experienced the level of devotion in his first relationship, Radia was frustrated. Especially because they also kept this relationship so tight a secret not even Joon’s brother and Bassena knew despite them hanging out together all the time.

Radia was disappointed, but he knew all hell would break loose if Joon’s father found out about them. Besides, it also put him in relief. At least, it was clear that Joon wasn’t chasing some clout or money if he wanted to keep it a secret.

"You’ll have to take it next year too," Joon chuckled as he played with the red hair. Radia liked that; Joon’s touch had always been nice, because he never did it absentmindedly. Everything that he did was genuine, even the way he played with Radia’s mind and lured him into this relationship.

Radia loved it.

"Where are you going to take it? Have you decided?"

Han Joon did not answer instantly. He kept playing with the red hair until Radia straightened his back and looked at the black eyes sternly. "Where?"

"Scatach."

The answer came dry, but firmly nonetheless. It means Joon would not change his mind about it. Yes, Han Joon was stubborn like that.

Radia frowned and for a while, he just sat on the older’s lap in silence. Joon did not say anything, did not interrupt the thought. He just stroked Radia’s thigh gently, careful not to aggravate the bruise he made there earlier.

He was smiling though.

If it was the old Radia, he would already throw a tantrum and ask why Joon did not take it in Ophiucus which was the closest to their home. The Tower of Scatach was in the Northern Alliance, and while it wasn’t exactly rare for an esper of other regions to take a trial there, it was still so far away, and waiting for a turn would take...weeks or perhaps months.

Yeah, Joon could see what Radia was thinking, which was why he hesitated for a bit before talking about it. In the end, however, Radia let out a sigh.

"Well...I guess, it’s more suitable for your trait..." the younger boy said quietly, which prompted Joon to raise his brow.

The older boy brushed Radia’s lips and whispered with that alluring low voice of his that always drove Radia mad. "You should say that after you get rid of this pout,"

"I still don’t like it, okay?" Radia crossed his arms and pursed his lips indignantly.

Yes, his logical side knew Ophiucus favored the magician line, so someone like Han Joon, who wasn’t very talented in magic and had physical skill sets, would suit the Tower of Scatach better, who favored hunters.

So even if he didn’t like how Joon would have to go for months during his trial, he just sighed and tried to be rational about it. Being rational when it was his first time falling in love during the raging hormonal condition of his teenage years, however, wasn’t as easy as Radia had thought.

Well, he shouldn’t think it was easy the moment he lost his cool in front of Joon’s infuriating, and yet endearing, poker face as he confronted the older boy in that hotel room.

Just like now, when the black eyes curled slightly and softened, and the thin lips stretched into a smile, caressing Radia’s cheek with the back of his fingers, and whispered fondly; "How cute,"

It was enough to make Radia, who was rarely fazed by anything, become a stuttering mess.

Fuck—he was the Mortix heir! He played mind games and screwed the adults around him to pass the time! What was he doing, what had become of him; he couldn’t even say anything in front of this...this devilishly handsome smirking child of God!

He, Radia Mallarc, could only stay still, stunned, totally flushing just because this boyfriend of his calling him cute.

Unexcusable!

Radia bit his lips and averted his gaze, because looking at those eyes with the stars twinkling in them and that handsome smile would certainly make his brain even more of a mess.

To distract himself, Radia steered the conversation back to what matters, about the trial Joon would have to face in a few months. "At this point, isn’t it better if Shin just lived in my place instead?" he said after they estimated how long Joon would have left the house.

With their father constantly in the military base, Han Shin was basically always home alone with the housekeeper. Sometimes, Radia would bring Shin to his massive house with all their empty rooms always available.

"Well, that might be true—if I can make some excuse to Father," Joon muttered in contemplation, and Radia could see him tensing for a bit when he spoke about his father. But he swiftly recovered and asked lightly. "But would that be alright with your family?"

Radia swallowed his sigh and stroked the sharp jaw, feeling the roughness from the stubble that started to form in his almost adult face. "Just leave it to me," Radia replied softly, kissing the jaw and feeling the tickling sensation on his lips.

"You’re so caring, Dee..."

Again with those soft eyes and smile! And he even called him Dee. Radia had no idea when exactly Joon started calling him that, but it never failed to make his heart beat so fast in response. Just like now. It got him flustered like a little girl in love!

Well, to be fair, he was a boy in love--but he was also the Radia Mallarc, for fuck’s sake. "That’s...it’s just because he’s your brother, okay?!"

Joon’s smile grew even wider at that reaction. "Bas is not your brother,"

Evidently, Radia also took Bassena to his home sometimes, letting the boy stay for a night or two. "I—I can’t stand him always showing up with more bruises, okay? Why is his family beating him so much, anyway? Don’t they—" Radia paused, looking at Joon’s smiling face for a second before lowering his gaze in shame. "Oh...sorry..."

He bit his lips, chiding himself for speaking so callously. It was just a moment ago that he saw the new bruises and welts on Joon’s back. He had no idea what it was for this time, what made Joon’s father so angry when his son was so...so wonderful already. Joon didn’t really like to talk about it, so Radia did not ask, and they pretended like nothing had happened.

Han Joon chuckled and cupped the younger’s cheek, before diving in for a soft, gentle kiss. "You’re cute," he repeated again, as if the lovely kiss was not enough to make Radia fluster.

"...you’re the only one who says that," Radia muttered after he screamed silently in the crook of Joon’s neck.

"Lies,"

"You’re the only one who says it genuinely," Radia pursed his lips, displeased that his boyfriend doubted him.

"What about your parent?"

"They say I’m wild,"

Joon laughed at that; a loud, crisp laughter that Radia hadn’t seen often. It softened his whole impression and was totally breathtaking. "You’re so beautiful," Radia whispered almost breathlessly. "Truly, your eyes...it’s like a night sky,"

"That’s one way of saying it looks dark,"

This time, it was Radia’s turn to laugh. "I really like you, you know," he confessed, unhesitatingly. Due to the secretive nature of their relationship, he couldn’t say things like that in public. But in this secret little corner at the back of the academy, Radia wouldn’t hesitate to say it as much as he could.

Joon smiled and gave Radia another soft, sweet kiss. When he pulled away, he looked into the crimson eyes and told the younger boy firmly. "I have never not."

"Why?" Radia returned the gaze with an inquisitive one. Even now, he still didn’t know the reason behind Joon’s fixation on him. At first, he thought that Joon was just responding to Radia’s not-so-subtle advances. But the way Joon looked at him sometimes, that gaze full of obsession...there must have been something more. "What makes you—"

"Eleven years and eight months ago, I met a boy with red hair and red eyes in a hospital morgue," Joon cut the question with a story, running his fingers through the slightly curly hair.

The black eyes stared fondly at the deep red strands, falling between his fingers like red strings of fate. And the crimson eyes widened, flickering as the perfect brain started to dig into some forgotten childhood memory.

"He helped me meet my mother and sister for the last time," Joon continued with a fond smile on his face. "I have never forgotten that boy ever since," the hand moved to stroke Radia’s stunned cheek, rubbing the flesh beneath the crimson eyes possessively. "The sweet, caring boy."

Radia opened his mouth, and after struggling with his voice for a bit, he managed to let out a response with a choking voice. "I...I haven’t been like that for a long time..."

He was just a little boy at that time, running around his father’s business. He remembered seeing a boy looking blankly at the door to the morgue, fidgeting with his wrinkled shirt. The boy looked his age, so little Radia went over purely out of curiosity.

And curiously, he watched the quiet boy bid his goodbye to his late mother and sister quietly with no tears, even though the deep black eyes were filled with sadness. He remembered telling the boy to cry when he wanted to cry, because he remembered his mother telling him that before.

But even now...even now, Radia knew the boy had never shed any tears. Even when he endured all the beating and whipping from his own father, the boy never cried. Even when he had to work harder than anyone to catch up to other talented kids until he bled and burnt, he never cried. Even when there was no one he could confide in, he never cried.

"No," Han Joon smiled, wiping the tears coming out of the most beautiful crimson eyes. "Even now, you are still as sweet and caring as that boy."

That day, it was the first time Radia shed tears for another.